In November, an international conference “SCIENCE AND THE SMALL NATIONS. Bridging the Gaps: A Science Diplomacy Initiative” was held in New Delhi (India). The conference was organised by Zaheer Science Foundation and supported by UNESCO New Delhi.
As part of the collaboration agreement between Voronezh State University and Zaheer Science Foundation, on behalf of our university Irina Schepina, Head of the Joint Research Laboratory for Social and Economic Processes System Modelling of Voronezh State University and Central Economic Mathematical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, and Maria Solosina, the leading engineer of the Interfaculty Research Laboratory for Economics and Management, took part in the conference. The collaboration between VSU, research organisations in India, and Central Economic Mathematical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences in the sphere of innovative economics began in 2010. The collaboration is coordinated by Oleg Golichenko, the head research fellow of the Central Economic Mathematical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. He also took part in the conference.
The conference focused on the issues of collaboration between our countries in research and technology, and considered the role of science and technology in social and economic development. It also discussed the problems a country may face while introducing innovations. The participants exchanged their experience. Among the participants there were also representatives of universities and research centres from Italy, Finland, Nepal, and Russia. There were also delegates from the Ministry of Science and Technology of India, as well as representatives of various universities and research institutions in India, and representatives of UNESCO.
Researchers presented the results of their work, exchanged experience and took part in panel discussions and brainstorms. Irina Schepina and Maria Solosina gave a talk on the “Best Practices in local Development (Russian experience)” analysed the best examples of local development and described the ways to ensure the support of various development projects by local people.
They also discussed the prospects of further collaboration in innovative economics, biotechnologies, water treatment and transportation technologies, and recycling with representatives of Indian research and academic institutions.
“Our Indian colleagues express hope that VSU researchers – chemists, biologists, geologists, and economists – will be interested in exchanging our experience and would like to work together on joint projects. This will be further discussed during the visit of the Deputy Head of Zaheer fund, Dr. Mohsin Khan, in spring 2018”, – said Irina Schepina.
